Hundreds of Butler Hospital staffers are set to lose their health insurance benefits as tensions flare in an ongoing contract dispute, according to the New England Health Care Employees Union (SEIU 1199NE).

SEIU 1199NE, which represents more than 800 frontline staffers at Butler Hospital, started an indefinite strike Thursday morning after negotiations with management stalled last week.

The open-ended strike comes nearly two months after SEIU 1199NE entered into contract negotiations with Butler Hospital’s parent company, Care New England.

See more at wpri.com.